If you were to accuse us of shameless voyeurism we would defend ourselves to the last ditch.
The truth is, we are slightly ashamed.
However, dammit, as everyone knows, half the drama, excitement and enjoyment in Edinburgh at this time of year plays out on the streets, where nothing beats watching the endlessly fascinating recombination of faces and places.
Spurtle has been out and about across Broughton today, and here is a small sample of what we saw.
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1. Waiting for a friend for ages (top-right), Waterloo Place.
2. Peckish, Picardy Place.
3. Shame about the socks, Omni Centre.
4. Blue-sky thinking, Elm Row.
5. Cheekbones, Antigua Street.
6. Elegant, Forth Street.
7. Green sides, Greenside
8. Not much room with a view, Blenheim Place.